Filing cabinet construction



March 4, 1958 s. P. CARD 7 2,825,614

FILING CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed May 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Sam/well Cant Fig.6 7 qw i ATLTVORNEYS March'4, 1958 s. P. CARD2,825,614

FILING CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed May 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYSitcd 2,s2s,s14

memo cleanser consrutrcriort Samuel P. (lard, Canton, Ohio, assignor toDiehoid, incorporated, Canton, E hic, a corporation of @hio My inventionrelates generally to improvements in filing cabinet construction andmore particularly to a filing case and tie clip construction whichprovides means for securing together a series of filing cases to formvertical stacks, with additional means for securing the various stacksside to side and back to back to form an assembled filing cabinet.

Various prior constructions of filing cabinets have been providedconsisting of a series of filing cases stacked one above another withvarious complicated means for securing said cases in stacked position.Further, such prior constructions have provided means for securingadjacent stacks of filing cases side to side to form an assembled filingcabinet.

in one such construction, spaced downwardly rearwardly extending flangesare formed near the rear edge of the bottoms thereof, with said flangesengaging in spaced apertures formed in the top of the filing casepositioned therebeneath. Further, spaced apertures are formed in thebottoms of these filing cases spaced rearwardly from the front edgethereof, with said apertures receiving upwardly rearwardly extendingflange members formed on the top wall of the case positionedtherebeneath. These last mentioned flanges are merely received throughthe apertures and extend rearwardly in a horizontal plane spacedupwardly from the inner surface of the bottom Wall of the next abovecase, with fiat key members or clips having spaced horizontallyextending tabs thereon being received beneath said flanges, therebysecuring said flanges Within the confines of the case above.

Stacks of these cases so secured may be further secured side to side toform a filing cabinet assembly by use of a similarly constructed clip,as used to secure the cases one above another. One tab of said clip maybe received in one of the upwardly rearwardly extending flange membersformed in the top wall of each of the uppermost cases, with the bodyportion of said clip extending be tween said cases, that is, the tabs ofthe clip are engaged with the nearest adjacent flange members of theuppeo most adjacent cases.

One of the principal disadvantages of these prior constructions is thatin the manufacture of various sizes of filing cases, it is necessary toprovide a plurality of sizes of tie clips for securing the cases oneabove the other and for securing the cases in side to side assembledposition. Since each tie clip engages each of two spaced flanges forsecuring the cases one above another, and since the clip for securingstacks of the cases side to side must also engage these same spacedflanges in the uppermost cases, it is impossible to maintain the samespacing between the pairs of flanges in a single case and the nearestadjacent flanges of adjacent cases. Thus, for clifierent width cases, itis necessary to either maintain the spaced flanges of each single caseof equal spacing, or else maintain the spacing between the nearestadjacent flanges of adjacent cases equal, and it is therefore 2,825,614Fatented Mar. 4, 1953 necessary to provide at least one set of differentsized clips for each size of filling case being manufactured.

A further disadvantage of this type of construction is that the drawersof the filing cases must be removed in order to position the tie clipssecuring the various cases one above another, since the clip ispositioned above the top surface of the bottom Wall of each case. Astill further disadvantage is that since the tie clips and tabs thereonare fiat and are received flatwise engaged with the upwardly rearwardlyextending flanges of the case therebeneath, it is necessary to providecomplicated engagement means on the body portions of these clips and inthe tabs thereof in order to retain the clip properly positioned.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide afiling cabinet construction which eliminates the disadvantages of priorconstructions.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction in which each filing case has means permanentlypositioned thereon for securing a plurality of said cases one above theother in a single vertical stack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction in which the same size tie clips may be used forsecuring stacks of the filing cases side to side regardless of the sizeof the filing cases.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide afiling cabinet construction in which the same size tie clips may be usedfor securing stacks of the filing cases thereof back to back regardlessof the size of said filing cases.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction in which the tie clips used to secure the filingcases thereof back to back serve the dual purpose of also securingstacks of said filing cases side to side.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction in which the tie clips thereof may be positioned atthe front portions of the filing cases thereof for tying stacks of saidcases side to side and which clips engage a portion of the same meanswhich may be used to secure the filing cases of each stack one above theother.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction in which the tie clips thereof may be positioned atthe front portions of the filing cases thereof for securing stacks ofsaid cases side to side, which clips when engaged with the frontportions of said cases serve the dual purpose of securing the stacks ofcases side to side and also form front stop members engageable by theback portions of the filing case drawers, thereby preventing saiddrawers from being accidentally pulled completely out of said cases.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet construction which accomplishes all of the above objects in asimple manner, but yet which may be economically manufactured.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions,arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the presentinvention, the nature of which is set forth in the following generalstatement, a preferred embodiment of whichillustrative of the best modeof which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forthin the following description and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and setforth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In general terms, the improved filing cabinet construction comprisingthe present invention may be stated as including a plurality of box-likefiling cases having horizontally slidable drawers and being adapted tobe secured one above another, side by side and back to back to form afiling cabinet assembly.

Each of said filing cases is constructed with a closed top, bottom andsides and with a closed recessed back end. Further, the top and bottom,because of the recessed back end, form horizontally rearwardly extendingflange portions at the back ends thereof.

Still further, each case top is provided with a pair of spaced front andrear apertures formed therein, with each of the apertures being equallyspaced from its respective corner. A pair of spaced tabs is formedextending downwardly from each of the case bottoms, with said tabs beingvertically aligned with the top front apertures of said case.

An upwardly forwardly extending flange member is provided connected toeach case top extending upwardly from the back edge thereof and havingthe forward portion thereof spaced upwardly from said top. Finally,single tie clips are provided, each having spaced downwardly extendingtabs formed thereon, and a connecting body portion.

To form an assembled filing cabinet, :1 series of the above describedfiling cases are positioned one above another forming at least twoadjacent vertical stacks of said cases. These cases are positioned sothat the bottom tabs of one case are engaged in the front apertures ofthe case positioned therebelow and with the rearwardly extending bottomfiange portion of said one case engaged with the upwardly forwardlyextending flange member of said case positioned therebelow. Further, thetic clips are engaged between adjacent sides of adjacent cases in saidstacks, with the flanges of a first clip received in the nearestadjacent front apertures of adjacent cases and the tabs of a second clipreceived in the nearest adjacent rear apertures of said cases and withthe clip body portions extending between said cases.

Also the filing cabinet construction preferably includes double tieclips for securing stacks of the filing cases side by side and back tohack. Each of said double clips is provided with a body portion havingpairs of spaced tabs extending downwardly from either end thereof.

These double tie clips are engaged between adjacent rear corners of afirst pair of stacks of filing cases positioned side by side and asecond pair of stacks of filing cases positioned side by side with theback ends thereof positioned adjacent the back ends of said firststacks. One of the tabs of each double tie clip is received in each ofthe four adjacent rear corner apertures in the tops of the four adjacentfiling cases, thereby retaining the stacks of filing cases in assembledposition forming a filing cabinet assembly.

When using double tie clips for securing stacks of filing cases bothside by side and back to back, the single tie clips are still used tosecure the front portions of adjacent cases side by side, as describedabo e. That is, the single tie clips are always used to secure the frontportions of adjacent filing cases side by side, whether single or doubleclips are used at the back portions thereof.

Further, the tabs of said single tie clips at the front portions of thefiling cases extend downwardly into the confines or" these filing cases,thereby serving the second purpose of forming a stop member engageableby the back portions of the tiling case drawers, limiting the horizontaloutward movement of said drawer back portions and preventing the drawersfrom being accidentally pulled completely out of the filing cases. Thetabs of the tie clips received in the rear apertures in the filingcases, whether these tie clips are the single or double construction, extend downwardly into the confines of the filing cases close ly adjacentthe recessed rear end walls thereof so that these tabs do not interferewith the movement of the filing case drawers.

By Way of example, an embodiment of the filing cabinet constructioncomprising the present invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part iii) A 4 hereof wherein like numerals indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a series of stacks of the filingcase and tie clip construction of the present invention mounted on abase member to form a filing cabinet unit;

Fig. 2, a bottom plan view of the filing case construction of thepresent invention with a part thereof broken away;

3, a vertical section of the filing case construction looking in thedirection of the arrows 3-3 in Fig. 2, with a part thereof broken awayand with the drawer thereof shown in side relation;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 3 showing theupper portion of one filing case and the lower portion of a secondfiling case stacked thereabove, with the drawer of the lower case shownin cross-scction and pulled to its maximum outward position;

Fig. 5, a perspective view of a single tic clip of the present inventionfor securing stacks of filing cases side by side; and Fig. 6, aperspective view of a double tie clip of the present invention forsecuring stacks of filing cases side by side and back to back.

The filing cabinet construction comprising the present inventionincludes a filing case construction, generally indicated at it), asingle tie clip construction, generally indicated at 11 and a double tieclip construction, generally indicated at 12. The filing cases and tieclips are preferably formed from relatively thin gauge sheet steel orthe like, and the various parts of the filing cases are preferablyassembled by welding or other usual fastening means.

The filing case construction 10 is comprised of a boxlike outer casemember, generally indicated at 13, having the usual sides 14 and 15, top16, bottom 17, and is preferably provided with a recessed back end itThe front end 19 is preferably completely open and is preferablyprovided with a relatively thick spacing strip mam-- her 2 9 afiixed tothe inner surface of the case member abutting the open end 19 andextending rearwardly thereof completely around the inner perimeter ofsaid open end.

The filing case construction 10 further includes a horizontally slidabledrawer member, generally indicated at 21, having the usual drawer bottom22, front end 23, back end member 24 and spaced side members 25. Frontand back end members 23 and 24 have slightly smaller outside dimensionsthan the inner dimensions of spacing strip member 20, so that these endmembers may slidabiy pass through spaced strip member 20.

The front end member 23 is preferably provided wi h the usual ring-likehandle member 26 pivotally connected thereto and the usual card holder27. Further, the drawer bottom 2?, at the back or inner end thereof, isprovided with downwardly projecting spacer or leg means 28, so that whenthe drawer 21 is telescopically received in the case member 13, as bestseen in Fig. 3, the spacing strip member 20 and the leg means 28 retainthe drawer bottom 22 spaced upwardly from the case bottom 17, so thatthe drawer 21 is easily horizontally slidable within case member 13.

Each case member top 16 is provided with spaced front apertures 29 and30 and spaced rear apertures 31 and 32, with each of said aperturesbeing equally spaced from its respective corner of the top 16. That is,front apertures 29 and 30 are spaced rearwardly from the front edge oftop 16, the same distance that rear apertures 31 and are spacedforwardly from the back end of top 16. Further, apertures 29 and 31 arespaced inwardly from their respective side of top 16, the same distancethat apertures 30 and 32 are spaced inwardly from their respective sideof top 16.

Thus, as seen in Fig. 1, each case member 13 is provided with anaperture in each of the top corner portions thereof, so that when thesefiling cases are positioned side by side and back to back, as shown inFig. 1, the apertures of each respective filing case will be an equalpredetermined distance apart from side to side and an equalpredetermined distance apart back to back. Further, these apertures maybe placed in the same relative positions in reference to the front sidesand backs of these filing cases despite the particular measurements ofthe group of filing cases to be manufactured.

As before stated, it is preferred that the back end 18 of the casemember 13 is recessed so that the sides 14 and 15, top lid and bottom 17thereof extend rearwardly from back 18, thereby preferably forming thetop rearwardly extending fiange 33, the bottom rearwardly extendingflange 34-, with similar flanges being formed at the sides thereof. Forexpediency in manufacturing, the back 18 is formed with rearwardlyextending flanges completely around the outer periphery thereof, so thatflanges $3 and 34, and the other flanges at the sides of the case member13 are formed of double thickness, partially by the flanges on the backmember 18 and partially by the rearwardly extending portions of the top16, sides TA and i and bottom 17.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the location of the front apertures 29 and 3b intop 16 is such that these apertures are formed adjacent the rear edge ofspacing strip member 20. Further, the front surface of back member 18 islocated adjacent the rear edge of rear apertures 31 and 32, so thatthese apertures are forwardly adjacent back 18.

A preferably generally lJ-shaped cross-section back engagement member 35is preferably secured to the top flange 33 formed by the top 16 and theback 13 preferably by welding or other usual fastening means. Engagementmember 35 is preferably comprised of a lower forwardly extending legmember as, a vertically extending leg member 37 and a forwardlyextending upper leg member 38.

The lower leg member 36 is positioned abutting the under surface offlange 33, with the inner side of leg 36 spaced rearwardly from the backsurface of back 18. Vertical leg member 37 is connected to the back edgeof lower leg 36 and extends upwardly thereof to a plane spaced upwardlyfrom the top surface of top so, with upper leg member 38 connected tothe upper end of vertical leg 37 and extending forwardly thereof.

Thus, a hook or forwardly flanged engagement member is formed by thevertical leg member 37 and upper leg member 38 at the rear edge of topto. Further, engagement member 35 is positioned on top 16 with noportion of member 35 extending over the longitudinal center line of top16, so that when the case members 13 are positioned back to back, asbest seen in Fig. l, the various engagement members 355 will notinterfere with each other and so that only the single thickness of avertical leg member 37 separates the back edges of the tops 16.

The bottom member 17 of case member 13 is formed with spaced downwardlyprojecting tabs 3d and as, which tabs extend downwardly in a verticalplane adjacent the rear edge of spacing strip member 213. Further, tabs39 and 40 are vertically aligned with the front apertures 2 and 30.

In use of the above described construction of filing case to form afiling cabinet comprised of a single stack of filing case members 13,these case members may be secured one above the other in the followingmanner.

A second filing case member 13 may be secured above a first filing casemember 13 by engaging the bottom flange 3d of the second case within theengagement member 35 beneath the forwardly extending upper leg 38 of thefirst case, and thereafter lowering the front portion of the second casedownwardly until the tabs 39 and 4b of bottom 17 are received in thefront apertures 29 and 30 of the first case. Thus, the second case issecured against horizontal movement in reference to the first case.

When, however, it is necessary to form a filing cabinet of a series ofstacks of filing case members 13, with said stacks being positioned sideby side or side by side and 6 back to back, it is necessary to providemeans for securing these various stacks together to form a single filingcabinet assembly. It is for this purpose that the single tie clipconstruction 11 and double tie clip construction 12 are provided.

Single tie clip construction 11, as shown in Fig. 5, is preferablyformed of a one piece relatively thin gauge metal stamping and includesa body portion 4?. and spaced downwardly projecting tabs 52 and 43. Bodyportion 41 is preferably flat having a width at least as great as thedis ance that the tabs 42 and 43 extend downwardlyv Tabs 42 and 43 arepreferably formed at one side edge of body portion 41 and preferablyextend downwardly a distance greater than the combined thicknesses oftop 16 of filing case member 13, and the spacing strip member 29, for apurpose to be hereinafter described. Further, tabs and i?) are spacedhorizontally from each other a distance approximately equal to thedistance between the nearest adjacent apertures of filing case members23, when these case members are positioned side by side. Thus, when twocase members are positioned side by side, the tabs 42 and 43 may bereceived in the nearest adjacent apertures, as shown in Fig. 1, with thebody portion 4]. spanning the distance between tabs 42 and 53, andsecuring the filing case members 13 in side by side position.

Double tie clip construction 12, as shown in Fig. 6, is comprised of abody portion 44, downwardly projecting front tabs 45 and 4a anddownwardly projecting rear tabs 47 and 48. Double tie clip 12 is alsopreferably formed of a one piece relatively thin gauge metal stamping.

Tabs 45 and 46 preferably extend downwardly at the front edge of bodyportion as, with tabs 47 and 48 extending downwardly at the rear edgethereof. Tabs 45 and 46 are spaced longitudinally the same distance asthe tabs 42 and 43 of the single tie clip construction 11, with the tabs47 and 43 spaced rearwardly from tabs 45 and 46 and also being similarlyspaced longitudinally.

Thus, tabs 45 and 46 are longitudinally aligned, as are tabs 47 and 4-8,while tabs 46 and 43 are laterally aligned, as are tabs 45 and 47. Thelateral distance between tabs to and 48, as well as between tabs 45 and47, is substantially equal to the distance between the nearest adjacentrear apertures formed in the case tops 16, when several case members 13are positioned back to back. Further, as described in reference to thesingle tie clip construction 11, the longitudinal distance between tabs45 and 46 or between tabs 47 and 48 is substantially equal to thedistance between the nearest adjacent apertures formed in the case tops16 of several filing case members 13 positioned side by side.

Thus, as shown in Fig. l, the double tie clip construction 12 may beused to secure together four stacks of filing case members 13 bypositioning two stacks of these cases side by side and positioning asecond pair of stacks back to back with the first two stacks.Thereafter, the double tie clip 12 may be positioned, as shown in Fig.l, with each of the tabs 45, 46, 47 and 43 thereof received in the rearapertures in the central joining corner portions of the filing casemembers 13.

Further, the body portion 44 of double tie clip 12 spans the distancebetween laterally aligned rear aper' tures of filing case memberspositioned side by side, and also spans the distance betweenlongitudinally aligned apertures of filing case members longitudinallyaligned, thereby securing all four stacks of filing case members 13 in aunitary filing case cabinet assembly.

Thus, when it is necessary to form a filing cabinet assembly oflaterally adjacent stacks of filing case members 13, single tie clipsill are positioned between each of the cases of each of the laterallyadjacent stacks, both in the front and rear apertures, with the singletie clip 12 received in the front apertures, with the body portion 41thereof extending rearwardly and with the single tie clip llll receivedin the rear apertures, with the body portion 41 thereof extendingforwardly. Further, these single tie clips ill are so positioned in eachof the tops 16 of each of the filing case members 13, so that the stacksare secured together at vertically spaced points determined by theheight of each filing case member 13.

Still further, when the single tie clips 11 are so positioned at anyparticular layer of filing case members 13, even though the tabs 42 and43 of the single tie clip 11 are positioned in the front apertures ofthe filing case members 13, these front apertures are of suflicient sizeto also receive the downwardly extending tabs 39 and formed on thebottom 17 of the filing case members 13, as best seen in Fig. 4.Additionally, as shown, when the filing case members 13 are sopositioned, the body portions 41 of the single tie clips 11 are abuttedby the bottom 17 of the filing case member 13 positioned above, and bythe top 16 of the filing case member positioned therebelow, therebyretaining said tie clips firmly in proper position.

Also, since the tab members 42 and 43 of the single tie clips 11 extenddownwardly a greater distance than the combined thickness of the tops 16and spacing strip members 20, the lowermost edge of tabs 42 and 43 isspaced downwardly from the portion of spacing strip member 26 that isreceived abutting the under surface of top 16. Thus, as the drawermember 21 is pulled horizontally outwardly, its horizontal movement islimited by the upper portion of the back end member 24 engaging one ofthese tabs 42 or 43, again as illustrated in Fig. 4. Further, the tabs42 and 43 of the single tie clip received in the rear apertures of thefiling case members 13 extend downwardly closely adjacent the back ends18, so that these tabs do not, in any way, interfere with the horizontalmovement of the drawer members 21.

When it is necessary to position additional stacks of filing casemembers 13 back to back with the first two stacks of these filing casemembers, the single tie clips 11 are still used received in the frontapertures of the laterally adjacent stacks, as shown in Fig. 1, but thedouble tie clips 17. are used at each of the layers of filing casemembers 13, as before described and as shown in Fig. l. The tabs 45, 46,4-7 and 48 of these double tie clips 12, as was the case of the singletie clips 11, are received through the rear apertures closely adjacentthe back ends 18 of the filing case members 13, so that these tabmembers in no way interfere with the horizontal movement of the drawermembers 21. As in the case of the single tie clips 11, the body portions44 of the double tie clips 12 are retained abutting the tops and bottomsof vertically adjacent filing case members 13, thereby retaining the tieclips in proper assembled position.

When the filing case members 13 of the present invention are positionedin vertical stacks to form filing cabinet assemblies, it is preferableto provide means positioned below the lowermost case member 13, in orderto retain said lowermost case member spaced upwardly from a supportingsurface, and to receive the downwardly extending tabs 39 and 41positioned at the front portion of the case 17. Any usual stand meansmay be used for this purpose and as shown in Fig. 1, the supportingstand 49 may be of box-like construction having apertures formed in thetop surface thereof, properly positioned to receive said case bottomtabs.

The principal requirement of the stand 49 is that it retain thelowermost case member 13 a sufficient distance from a supporting surfaceso that the weight of the stack of case members 13 is not supported bythe case bottom tabs 39 and 40. Thus, as before stated, any usual standmeans could be used such as individual leg members, front and rear edgesupporting members or the like.

One of the primary advantages of the filing cabinet construction of thepresent invention is that the front apertures 29 and 30 and the rearapertures 31 and 32, formed in the case tops'16, may be positioned thesame distances from the corners of said tops despite the particular sizeof the filing case being manufactured. Thus, the same size single tieclips 11 and double tie clips 12 may be used for all sizes of filingcases, and it is not necessary to provide a different size tie clip forevery different size of filing case being manufactured.

A further advantage is that the tie clips 11 are received in the samefront apertures as are the tabs 39 and it formed the case bottoms 17.The same means, therefore, is engaged by the tabs on the case bottoms tosecure the various cases one above another as is engaged by the tieclips securing the cases side bv side.

A still further advantage is that the same rear apertures on the casetops 16 may be engaged by the tabs of a single tie clip 11 to securestacks of cases side by side, as may be engaged by the tabs of doubletie clips 12 to secure stacks of cases both back to back and side byside. Thus, the filing cabinet construction of the present invention isgreatly simplified from the manufacturing aspect.

Finally, another advantage of the filing cabinet construction of thepresent invention is that the single tie clips 11, positioned in thefront apertures of the case tops 16, serve the dual purpose of securingstacks of said cases side by side, and also form a stop member limitingthe horizontal outward movement of the drawer members 21, therebypreventing drawer members 21 from being accidentally pulled completelyhorizontally out of case members 13. This feature is provided by thetabs 42 and 43 of the single tie clips 11 extending downwardly below thespacing strip member 20, so that the lower portions of these tabs areengageable by the back end members 24 of the drawer members 21, thuspreventing further horizontal outward movement of drawer member 21.

Thus, the present invention provides a filing cabinet construction whichovercomes the foregoing stated disadvantages of the prior constructions;in which each filing case has means permanently positioned thereon forsecuring a plurality of said cases one above the other in a singlevertical stack; in which the same size tie clips may be used forsecuring stacks of the filing cases side by side regardless of the sizeof the filing cases; in which the same size tie clips may be used forsecuring stacks of the filing cases thereof back to back regardless ofthe size of said filing cases; in which the tie clips used to securedthe filing cases thereof back to back, serve the dual purpose of alsosecuring stacks of said filing cases side to side; in which the tieclips thereof may be positioned at the front portions of the filingcases thereof for tying stacks of said cases side to side and whichclips engage a portion of the same means which may be used to secure thefiling cases of each stack one above the other;

. in which the tie clips thereof may be positioned at the front portionsof the filing cases thereof for securing stacks of said cases side toside, which clips when engaged with the front portions of said cases,serve the dual purpose of securing the stack of cases side by side andalso form front stop members engageable by the back portions of thefiling case drawers, thereby preventing said drawers from beingaccidentally pulled completely out of said cases; and which provides allof these advantages in a simple manner, but yet which may beeconomically manufactured.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposesherein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction,

operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageousnew and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful constructionand reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof, obvious to those skilledin the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, each ofsaid case tops having sets of two spaced apertures formed therein at thefront and rear thereof, an engagement member at the rear of said casetops, engagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, thebottom engagement means of one case engageable with certain of said topapertures and with said top engagement member of a case positionedtherebelow and certain of said top apertures and said top engagementmember of said one case engageable with the bottom engagement means of acase positioned thereabove for securing said cases in vertical stacks,substantially fiat tie clips having at least two spaced downwardlyextending tabs formed thereon, said tie clip tabs engageable withcertain of said top front and rear apertures of certain of said filingeases despite the position of said certain filing cases in said verticalstacks with the tie clip extending between laterally adjacent filingcases in laterally adjacent stacks for securing said filing cases sideby side, and certain of said top apertures which are engaged with thebottom engagement means being certain of the same apertures engageableby certain of said tie clip tabs.

2. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, each ofsaid ease tops having sets of two spaced apertures formed therein at thefront and rear thereof, an engagement member at the rear of said casetops, engagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, thebottom engagement means of one case engageable with certain of said topapertures and with said top engagement member of a case positionedtherebelow and certain of said top apertures and said top engagementmember of said one case engageable with the bottom engagement means of acase positioned thereabove for securing said cases in vertical stacks,substantially fiat single tie clips having at least two spaceddownwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said single tie clip tabsengageable with certain of said top front apertures of certain of saidfiling cases despite the position of said certain filing cases in saidvertical stacks with said single tie clip extending between laterallyadjacent filing cases in laterally adjacent stacks for securing saidfiling cases side by side, substantially fiat double tie clips having atleast four spaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said doubletie clip tabs engageable with certain of said top rear apertures ofcertain of said filing cases despite the position of said certain filingcases in said vertical stacks with the double tie clip extending betweenlaterally adjacent filing cases in a first pair of laterally adjacentstacks and between laterally adjacent filing cases in a second pair oflaterally adjacent stacks positioned back to back with said firstlaterally adjacent stacks thereby securing each of said laterallyadjacent filing cases side by side and back to back with said otherlaterally adjacent filing cases, and certain of said top apertures whichare engaged with the bottom engagement means being certain of the sameapertures engageable by certain of said tie clip tabs.

3. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filinrcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom,engagement means at the front and rear of said case tops, engagementmeans at the front and rear of said case bottoms, the bottom engagementmeans of one case engageable with the top engagement means of a casepositioned therebelow and the top engagement means of said one caseengageable with the bottom engagement means of a case positionedthereabove for securing said cases in vertical stacks, tie clip meansengageable with at least part of said top engagement means of certain ofsaid filing cases despite the position of said certain filing cases insaid vertical stacks and extending between laterally adjacent filingcases in laterally adjacent stacks for securing said filing cases sideby side, and said tie clip means extending into the confines of each ofsaid certain filing cases at the front of said case tops and formingstop means engageable by said slidable drawer back portions limiting theoutward movement of said drawers.

4. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, eachof said case tops having spaced apertures formed therein at the frontand rear thereof, an engagement member at the rear of said case tops,engagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, the bottomengagement means of one case engageable with certain of said topapertures and with said top engagement member of a case positionedtherebelow and certain of said top apertures and said top engagementmember of said one case engageable with the bottom engagement means of acase positioned thereabove for securing said cases in vertical stacks,tie clips having at least two spaced downwardly extending tabs formedthereon, said tie clip tabs engageable with certain of said topapertures of certain of said filing cases despite the position of saidcertain filing cases in said vertical stacks with the tie clip extendingbetween laterally adjacent filing cases in laterally adjacent stacks forsecuring said filing cases side by side, and at least one of said tieclip tabs extending downwardly into the confines of each of said certainfiling cases at the front of said case tops and forming a stop memberengageable by said slidable drawer back portions limiting the outwardmovement of said drawers.

5. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, eachof said case tops having spaced apertures formed therein at the frontand rear thereof, an engagement member at the rear of said case tops,engagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, the bottomengagement means of one case engageable with certain of said topapertures and with said top engagement member of a case positionedtherebelow and certain of said top apertures and said top engagementmember of said one case engageable with the bottom engagement means of acase positioned thereabove for securing said cases in vertical stacks,substantially fiat single tie clips having at least two spaceddownwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said single tie clip tabsengageable with certain of said top front apertures of certain of saidfiling cases despite the position of said certain filing cases in saidvertical stacks with said single tie clip extending between laterallyadjacent filing cases in laterally ad jacent stacks for securing saidfiling cases side by side, at least one of said single tic clip tabsextending downwardly into the confines of each of said certain filingcases at the front of said case tops and forming stop members engageableby said slidable drawer back portions limiting the outward movement ofsaid drawers, substantially fiat double tie clips having least fourspaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, and said double tieclip tabs engageable with certain of said top rear apertures of certainof said filing cases despite the position of said certain filing casesin said vertical stacks with the double tie clip extending betweenlaterally adjacent filing cases in a first pair of laterally adjacentstacks and between laterally adjacent filing cases in a second pair oflaterally adjacent stacks positioned back to back with said firstlaterally adjacent stacks thereby securing each of said laterallyadjacent filing cases side by side and back to back with said otherlaterally adjacent filing cases.

.6. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, eachof said case tops having spaced laterally aligned apertures formedtherein at the front and rear thereof, each of said front apertureslongitudinally aligned with one of said rear aper tures, an engagementmember connected at the rear of said case tops and extending upwardlythereof and forwardly, at least two spaced downwardly extending tabsconnected to said case bottoms at the front thereof vertically alignedwith said case top front apertures, rearwardly extending flange meansconnected to said case bottoms at the rear thereof, the bottom tabs ofone case engageable in the top front apertures of a case positionedtherebelow, the bottom flange means of said one case engageable with theengagement member of said case positioned therebelow, the top frontapertures of said one case engageable with the bottom tabs of a casepositioned thereabove, the engagement member of said one case engageablewith the bottom flange of said case positioned thereabove, substantiallyflat tie clips having at least two spaced downwardly extending tabsformed thereon, said tie clip tabs engageable with certain of said topapertures at the front and rear of certain of said filing cases despitethe position of said certain filing cases in said vertical stacks withthe tie clips extending between laterally adjacent stacks, and at leastone of said tie clip tabs extending downwardly into the confines of eachof said certain filing cases at the front of said case tops and forminga stop member engageable by said slidable drawer back portions limitingthe outward movement of said drawers; whereby series of said cases maybe secured in vertical stacks and cases in laterally adjacent stacks maybe secured side by side.

7. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, eachof said case tops having sets of two spaced laterally aligned aperturesformed therein at the front and rear thereof, each of said frontapertures longitudinally aligned with one of said rear apertures, anengagement member connected at the rear of said case tops and extendingupwardly thereof and forwardly, at least two spaced downwardly extendingtabs connected to said case bottoms at the front thereof ver ticallyaligned with said case top front apertures, rearwardly extending flangemeans connected to said case bottoms at the .rear thereof, the bottomtabs of one case engageable in the top front apertures of a casepositioned therebelow, the bottom flange means of said one caseongageable with the engagement member of said case positionedtherebelow, the top front apertures of said one case engageable with thebottom tabs of a case positioned thereabove, the engagement member ofsaid one case engageable with the bottom flange of said case positionedthereabove, substantially flat single tie clips having at leasttwospaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said single tie cliptabs engageable with certain of said top front apertures of certain ofsaid filing cases despite the position of said certain filing cases insaid vertical stacks with said single tie clip extending betweenlaterally adjacent filing cases in laterally adjacent stacks forsecuring said filing cases side by side, said top front aperturesengaged by the single tie clip tabs being certain of the same aperturesengaged with the case bottom tabs, at :least .one of said single tieclip tabs extending downwardly into the confines of each of said certainfiling cases at the front of said case tops and forming a stop memberengageable by said slidable drawer back portions limiting the outwardmovement of said drawers, substantially fiat double tie clips having atleast four spaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, and saiddouble tie clip tabs engageable with certain of said top rear aperturesof certain of said filing cases despite the position of said certainfiling cases in said vertical stacks with the double tie clip extendingbetween laterally adjacent filing cases in a first pair of laterallyadjacent stacks and between laterally adjacent filing cases in a secondpair of laterally adjacent stacks positioned back to back with saidfirst laterally adjacent stacks thereby securing each of said laterallyadjacent filing cases side by side and back to back with said otherlaterally adjacent filing cases.

3. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, firstengagement means the front and rear of said case tops, second engagementmeans at the front and rear of said case bottoms, one of said first andsecond engagement means including sets of two spaced apertures formed atthe front and rear of the filing cases, the other of said first andsecond engagement means including at least two spaced verticallyextending tabs connected to the cases at the front thereof and extendingtherefrom vertically aligned with said one engagement means frontapertures, the bottom engagement means of one case engageable with thetop engagement means of a case positioned therebelow with case-spacedtabs be ing received by and engaging in front apertures, and the topengagement means of said case engageable with the bottom engagementmeans of a case positioned thereabove with case-spaced tabs beingreceived by and engaging in front apertures for securing said cases invertical stacks, substantially fiat tie clips having at least two spacedvertically extending tabs formed thereon, said tie clip tabs beingreceived by and engageable in certain of said one engagement meansapertures of certain of said filing cases despite the posiiton of saidcertain filing cases in said vertical stacks and the tie clips extendingbetween laterally adjacent filing cases in laterally adjacent stacks forsecuring said filing cases side by side, and certain of said oneengagement means front apertures which are engaged with the otherengagement means vertically extending tabs being certain of the sameapertures receiving said tie clip tabs.

9. Filing cabinet construction as defined in claim 8 in which said oneengagement means front apertures are laterally aligned and the rearapertures are laterally aligned; and in which each of said oneengagement means front apertures are longitudinally aligned with one ofsaid rear apertures.

10. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, firstengagement means at the front and rear of said case tops, secondengagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, one of saidfirst and second engagement means including sets of two spaced aperturesformed at the front and rear of the filing cases, the other of saidfirst and second engagement means including at least two spacedvertically extending tabs connected to the cases at the front thereofand extending therefrom vertically aligned with said one engagementmeans front apertures, the bottom engagement means of one caseengageable with the top engagement means of a case positioned therebelowwith case-spaced tabs being received by and engaging in front aperturesand the top engagement means of said one case engageable with the bottomengagement means of a case positioned thereabovc with casespaced tabsbeing received by and engaging in front apertures for securing saidcases in vertical stacks, substantially flat single tie clips having atleast two spaced vertically extending tabs formed thereon, said singlelie clip tabs being received by and engageable in certain of said one ongagement means front apertures of certain of said filing cases despitethe position of said certain filing cases in said vertical stacks withsaid single tie clips extending between laterally adjacent filing casesin laterally adjacent stacks for securing said filing cases side byside, substantially flat double tie clips having at least four spacedvortically extending tabs formed thereon, said double tie clip tabsbeing received by and engageable in certain of said one engagement meansrear apertures of certain of said filing cases despite the position ofsaid certain filing cases in said vertical stacks with the double tieclips extending between laterally adjacent filing cases in a first pairof laterally adjacent stacks and between laterally adjacent filing casesin a second pair of laterally adjacent stacks positioned back to backwith said first laterally adjacent stacks thereby securing each of saidlaterally adjacent filing cases side by side and back to back with saidother laterally adjacent filing cases, and certain of said oneengagement means front apertures which are engaged with the otherengagement means vertically extending tabs being certain of the sameapertures receiving said single tie clip tabs.

11. Filing cabinet construction as defined in claim in which said oneengagement means front apertures are laterally aligned and the tearapertures are laterally aligned; and in which each of said oneengageinent means front apertures are longitudinally aligned with one ofsaid rear apertures.

12. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, firstengagement means at the front and rear of said case tops, secondengagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, said firstengagement means including spaced apertures formed at the front and rearof the filing case tops, said second engagement means including at leasttwo spaced downwardly extending tabs connected to said case bottoms atthe fronts thereof vertically aligned with said case top frontapertures, the bottom tabs of one case being received by and engaging inthe top front apertures of a case positioned therebelow, the top frontapertures of said one case receiving the bottom tabs of a casepositioned thereabove, substantially flat tie clips having at least twospaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said tie clip tabsbeing received by and engageable in certain of said top apertures at thefront and rear of certain of said filing cases despite the position ofsaid certain filing cases in said vertical stacks with the tie clipsextending between laterally adjacent stacks, and at least one of saidtie clip tabs extending downwardly into the confines of each of saidcertain filing cases at the front of said case tops and forming a stopmember engageable by said slidable drawer back positions limiting theoutward movement of said drawers; whereby series of said cases may besecured in vertical stacks and cases in laterally adjacent stacks may besecured side by side.

13. Filing cabinet construction including a plurality of box-like filingcases having horizontally slidable drawers with back portions formedthereon, each of said filing cases having a closed top and bottom, firstengagement means at the front and rear of said case tops, secondengagement means at the front and rear of said case bottoms, said firstengagement means including spaced laterally aligned apertures formed atthe front and rear of the filing case tops, each of said front apertureslongitudinally aligned with one of said rear apertures, said secondengagement means including at least two spaced downwardly extending tabsconnected to the case bottoms at the fronts thereof and extendingtherefrom vertically aligned with said top front apertures, the bottomtabs of one case being received by and engaging in the top frontapertures of a case positioned therebelow, the top front apertures ofsaid one case receiving the bottom tabs of a case positioned thereabove,substantially fiat single tie clips having at least two spaceddownwardly extending tabs formed thereon, said single tie clip tabsbeing received by and engaging in certain of said top front apertures ofcertain of said filing cases despite the position of said certain filingcases in said vertical stacks with said single tie clips extendingbetween laterally adjacent filing cases in laterally adjacent stacks forsecuring said filing cases side by side, at least one of said single tieclip tabs extending downwardly into the confines of each of said certainfiling cases at the front of said case tops and forming a stop memberengageable with said slidable drawer back portions limiting the outwardmovement of said drawers, substantially flat double tie clips having atleast four spaced downwardly extending tabs formed thereon, and saiddouble tie clip tabs being received by and engaging in certain of saidtop rear apertures of certain of said filing cases despite the positionof said certain filing cases in said vertical stacks with the double tieclips extending between laterally adjacent filing cases in a first pairof laterally adjacent stacks and between laterally adjacent filing casesin a second pair of laterally adjacent stacks positioned back to backwith said first laterally adjacent stacks thereby securing each of saidlaterally adjacent filing cases side by side and back to back with saidother laterally adjacent filing cases.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,934,380 Schmitz Nov. 7, 1933 2,277,155 Scheinman Mar. 24, 19422,386,343 Regenhardt Oct. 9, 1945 2,432,379 Butler Dec. 9, 19472,479,626 Klein Aug. 23, 1949 2,489,493 Kuenzie Nov. 29, 1949 2,676,861Belew Apr. 27, 1954

